2013 Australian Open Championship Match Odds and Picks: Andy Murray vs Novak Djokovic

2013 Australian Open Championship Match Odds and Picks: Andy Murray vs Novak Djokovic: The first major of the tennis season hasn’t disappointed, and after a tournament full of memorable matches, two of the world’s best are left to battle for the 2013 Australian Open title. Top-ranked Novak Djokovic will take on third-seeded Andy Murray, and while Djokovic is gunning for his third straight Australian Open title and the first-ever Aussie Open three-peat, Murray is trying to win his second straight Grand Slam and become the first player ever to win their first two majors consecutively. Throw in the fact that the two are fast building the top rivalry in the sport, and Sunday’s final should be exciting.

Recent history suggests that a grueling match could be on tap. Djokovic need almost five hours to oust Murray in the semifinals of last year’s Australian Open in a five-set thriller. Likewise, Murray needed 4 hours, 54 minutes to take down Djokovic in the finals of last year’s U.S. Open in another five-set battle. Given the defensive prowess of both players, it is hard to expect anything different this time around in, especially with another major title up for grabs.

Djokovic is the more rested of the two entering the title match, which could play dividends considering the brutal style of play that is expected. He did get pushed to the limit by Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round, but he has been rolling since, knocking off Tomas Berdych in four sets in the quarterfinals and dismantling David Ferrer in straight sets in the semis. Meanwhile, Murray hadn’t lost a set entering the semifinals, but he then went five sets with second-seeded Roger Federer and did so one day after Djokovic already cruised into the finals. If this match indeed comes down to the fifth set, Djokovic should have a little more gas in the tank.

As far as strategy is concerned, Murray needs to make the most of his first serve. He is already known for having an average second serve, and he is going to be in for a rough match if he consistently gives a strong returner like Djokovic easy serves to work with. Murray also needs to use his versatile game to keep Djokovic off balance and prevent his rival from dictating the tempo. Djokovic would be happy to smash shots at Murray from the baseline, and Murray needs to get him out of his comfort zone and force him to come to the net by using a variety of drop shots and finesse attacks.

For Djokovic, controlling the pace of the match will be crucial. He is the stronger of the two, and he needs to take advantage of his power. If he keeps Murray on the run with hard, well-placed shots from the baseline, he is eventually going to overpower his rival. On the flip side, Djokovic can’t get frustrated by Murray’s defensive tactics and try to do much and start misfiring. At times, Djokovic is his own worst enemy on the court, and he could get into serious trouble if he lets his intensity get the best of him Sunday.

Overall, these are two similar-minded players that pride themselves on conditioning and endurance. Djokovic has the edge in power while Murray has the more versatile offensive arsenal. However, the fact that Djokovic is also the more rested of the two can’t be ignored given the history between them. There are only so many tricks up Murray’s sleeves, and he is only going to be able to track down Djokovic’s baseline volleys for so long before fatigue starts to set in. Throw in the fact that the hard courts in Melbourne are Djokovic’s bread and butter, and the pieces are in place for the top-ranked player to snag another major title. Look for Murray to put up a fight early on and even take the first set, but Djokovic will be too much for him as the match wears on.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic Wins in 5 Sets